The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN FAO) has the most advanced information on water resources in all countries of the world, since the share of the agriculture sector in world water use is 70%. It operates the FAO Global Information System on Water and Agriculture (abbreviated as FAO Aquastat). The data contained in this database comes from the relevant government bodies of the countries of the world (reports, publications, official websites), from information bases of other UN agencies or international organizations (UN WHO – World Health Organization; UN FPA – United Nations Population Fund; ICOLD – International Commission on Large Dams) or obtained by modeling. The Water Resources section of the FAO global information system contains about 40 indicators. The database is filled with the average values of indicators for the segments of years: 1988-1992; 1993-1997; 1998-2002; 2003-2007; 20008-2012; 2013-2017.
The assessment of water resources carried out in the article based on the database of the global information system FAO Aquastat (1988-2017). showed the following results in Ukraine: internal river flow – 50.1 km3; inflow from adjacent territories – 120.2 km3; total river runoff – 170.3 km3; available groundwater reserves – 5 km3; internal renewable water resources – 55.1 km3; total renewable water resources – 175.3 km3.
In terms of total renewable water resources per person (3964 m3/person/year) among 50 European countries as of 2017, Ukraine ranked 27th. In terms of internal renewable water resources per person (1246 m3/person/year), Ukraine ranked 37th in Europe. In terms of total renewable water resources (175.3 km3), Ukraine ranked 6th in Europe. In terms of the volume of internal renewable water resources (55.1 km3), Ukraine ranked 14th. Ukraine has a high coefficient of external dependence of water resources (Кз = 66.8%), which characterizes the share of total renewable water resources formed outside the country in adjacent territories – 9th place in Europe.
The data on the components of water resources in Ukraine, which are given in FAO Aquastat, differ from the data published in Ukrainian sources. It is necessary to pay special attention to this methodological problem in the scientific and expert environment, as well as among officials in our country – the State Agency for Water Resources of Ukraine, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine. Indeed, with the course towards European integration, there can be no difference in information for internal and external use.
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